GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Messiah baseball team scored in bunches on Wednesday afternoon, plating 18 runs in an 18-9 victory over the visiting Gettysburg Bullets. The Falcons broke the game open with a three-run fourth and eight-run fifth to turn a 7-6 lead into an 18-6 advantage heading into the sixth. Led by Dalton Miller's three hits, a half dozen Falcons collected multiple hits in the comfortable victory.
 
Both Jarod Bingaman and Ryan Hentschel scored three runs each, as seven different Falcons crossed the plate at least twice.
 
With the win, Messiah levels their record to 3-3 overall on the season.
 
Back-And-Forth Early
After Messiah's starter Luke Blasick got the first two outs of the afternoon easily, Gettysburg's Sean Murphy hit an opposite-field, solo home run over the right field wall to get the Bullets on the board. A two-out rally followed with the Bullets plating one more run to take a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.
 
Messiah responded with three two-out runs to take the lead. Colt Price drove home a pair with a bases-loaded single to left center to tie the game. Dalton Miller then singled to the short stop to score Chris LaRose and give Messiah their first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.
 
The Falcons and Bullets went back and forth again in the second inning. Gettysburg scored twice with an RBI single and a fielder's choice while the Falcons plated one on a ground out after Trent Culver ripped a one-out triple.
 
After Luke Blasick turned in a three-up, three-down inning in the top of the third, Messiah scored three times in the bottom of the third to take the lead back. Billy Davis drove home one with a two-out single to left and pinch hitter Spencer McCrory doubled to straight away center bringing two more home with two outs.
 
Once again, the Bullets responded with two runs in the fourth to pull within one at 7-6, thanks to RBI hits from Andrew Decker (double) and Sean Murphy (single).
 
Falcons Pull Away
It was an eventful opening three and a half innings, with the Falcons leading 7-6 heading into the bottom of the fourth. In the bottom of the frame, Messiah loaded the bases with no outs thanks to singles from Kasey Caras and Jarod Bingaman followed by a walk to Ryan Hentschel. After a pitching change, Messiah scored runs on three consecutive at bats with a fielder's choice from Chris LaRose, a sacrifice fly from Colt Price, and a single from Dalton Miller.
 
Messiah hung a zero on the board in the top of the fifth with Kenny Runkle tossing a scoreless inning. Leading by four heading to the bottom of the fifth, Messiah would triple that lead with an eight-run fifth inning. Highlighting the frame were two-run singles from both Hentschel and Miller. When the dust settled after the long inning, Messiah had scored eight runs on five hits and took advantage of two Gettysburg errors in the inning.
 
With an 18-6 lead after five frames, the Falcons could cruise to the nine-run victory. Despite three Gettysburg runs in the top of the seventh, Messiah earned the 18-9 win with the game shortened to just seven innings due to darkness.
 
On the mound, Zak Muffit earned the win, despite tossing just 0.1 innings. Kenny Runkel turned in the strongest outing for Messiah pitchers, going two scoreless innings while allowing just one walk and one hit and striking out three.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons are off this weekend, but will be back in action on Monday of next week when they travel to Johns Hopkins to take on the Blue Jays at 4:00 p.m. on the road.